LOCAL CHATTER: Green working to show NFL teams he can do more than score touchdowns

Former St. Bonaventure High star Zachary Green, who spent the last five years at the University of Arizona, posted this picture to social media Saturday after attending the Rams local pro day in Thousand Oaks.(Photo11: PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACHARY GREEN)

The 5-foot-9, 229-pound running back scored 11 touchdowns on just 66 carries as a senior at the University of Arizona, almost exclusively in short yardage.

“I was a goal-line back who punched in the touchdowns from the 5- or from the 10-yard line,” Green said. “So people know I’m a downhill runner.”

Green displayed a similarly punishing style during his years at St. Bonaventure High.

After running for 1,700 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior in 2012, including a memorable 244-yard, four-touchdown performance against Oaks Christian in the inaugural Marmonte League championship game, Green earned The Star’s All-County Offensive Player of the Year award.

So Green has spent the weeks leading up to this month’s NFL Draft trying to show potential employers a more versatile skill set than the one he put on film in the Pacific-12 Conference.

“People have said, ‘This guy can run the ball, but why wasn’t he utilized (differently) in college?' ” Green said. “I know my place as a player. I’m not a coach. I listen, I take orders and do whatever role is needed of me.”

He has spent much of the last four months at Sports Academy in Newbury Park, working to get himself down to a chiseled 216 pounds

“That’s a top of the line facility,” Green said. “Sports Academy transformed my whole body. I’m in the best shape of my life.”

He working with former NFL running back Todd McNair, who gave him insight “from his perspective as an NFL scout and coach.”

He displayed some breakaway speed in the Spiral Tropical Bowl, a showcase event “for FBS All-Americans” in Daytona Beach, Florida, which has more than 40 alumni on current NFL rosters.

Green ran for 70 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries in the event to earn MVP honors.

“No one was expecting me to get MVP of the bowl game,” Green said. “That award was a slingshot.”

The performance put him on the radar of people running draft boards across the league.

He performed in front of representatives from all 32 teams last month at the Wildcats’ pro day in Tucson. The Cardinals, Chargers and Rams also invited him to their facilities for a closer look during their local pro days.

“They all had me go through 30 routes, all the different routes on the route tree,” Green said, “to see if my hands are there.”

Green was back in Ventura County at the Rams facility at Cal Lutheran University on Saturday.

“It felt good just going to their facility,” Green said. “It’s all brand new. The Rams, that whole staff is just young and hungry and down to earth. You could get the vibe there. There’s some really good coaches there. Anybody would be lucky to be a part of that program.”

(Photo11: The Associated Press)

He was especially happy with his performance during special teams drills.

“I was excited to go do it,” said Green, who played on kickoff, kick return and some punt coverage in Tucson. “I’m willing to take on any role that’s expected of me. Whether that’s on special teams, a backup role or a starting role, I’m willing to take on anything.”

Green earned a degree in urban and regional development in just three years in Tucson. He’s now just six credits away from a master’s degree in real estate and development.

He has interest in getting into commercial real estate, but is hoping to be able to put that career on the back burner.

“I’m just ready for the opportunity,” Green said.

DAWKINS ON MOVE

Brandon Dawkins, Green’s high school rival and college teammate, announced last week that he will move to Indiana as a graduate transfer.

“I didn't see a better fit for me,” Dawkins told ESPN. “I could have committed there two weeks ago. There were other schools, but at the end of the day, Indiana definitely showed that they're interested and they wanted me, they made that clear and apparent.”

Former Oaks Christian star Brandon Dawkins will play the University of Indiana in the fall.(Photo11: AP FILE)

The Oxnard native and former Oaks Christian quarterback played 22 games for Arizona, throwing for 2,418 yards with 15 touchdowns and running for 1,582 yards and 20 touchdowns.

He opened last season as the incumbent starter before Khalil Tate took over.

RISING SONS

You can catch the first glimpse of Cameron Rising (Newbury Park High) in burnt orange Saturday, when ESPN3 broadcasts the Texas spring football game.

But the freshman quarterback isn’t the first member of the family to take the field this spring.

Senior Tyson Rising (Buena High/Ventura College), Cameron’s older brother, started at left tackle in Arizona State’s first spring game under coach Herb Edwards on Friday.

Offensive linemen Jesse Cozens, 62, left, and Tyson Rising, 58, right, collide on the line during practice with the Arizona State Sun Devils in Tempe, Thursday, April 12, 2018.(Photo11: Tom Tingle/The Republic)

If you have Big 12 Network, you can also watch Tristan Gebbia perform in Nebraska’s spring game on Friday.

The Calabasas High grad is competing for the Huskers’ starting quarterback role with sophomore Andrew Bunch and freshman Adrian Martinez.

BANDY BREWING

The Milwaukee catcher caught four straight games for the Brewers to end the week, going 4 for 14 with his first home run of the season off Matt Harvey on Saturday in New York.

Thousand Oaks High graduate Jett Bandy celebrates after hitting a home run during the Brewers' game against the New York Mets last Saturday.(Photo11: FRANK FRANKLIN II/ AP)

The Brewers should also get their other former Marmonte League star, outfielder Christian Yelich (Westlake High), back from an oblique injury this week.

Yelich was eligible to return Sunday, but has yet to be activated.

STARTING STRONG

Justin De Fratus (Rio Mesa High/Ventura College) has started strong in his quest to return to the big leagues.

De Fratus has yet to allow an earned run in two starts for the Tulsa Drillers, the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, allowing just seven hits in 11.1 innings, striking out nine.

“He struggled more with his command than in his first start, but he made huge pitches in key situations and that’s what veteran pitchers do,” Drillers manager Scott Hennessey told the Tulsa World.

De Fratus, who pitched in 191 games for the Philadelphia Phillies over a five-year span from 2011 to 2015, spent the past two seasons at the Triple-A and Double-A levels in the Seattle, Texas, Washington and San Diego systems.

AS GOOD AS A HIT

At first glance, it looked like Amanda Lorenz (Moorpark High) was experiencing her version of a slump.

The All-American University of Florida outfielder had hit in just one of her past seven games entering Saturday’s doubleheader against South Carolina. After peaking at .453 in late March, her batting average dipped to .388.

And yet, incredibly, Lorenz has still reached based in all 44 games for No. 6-ranked Florida (37-7).

Florida’s Amanda Lorenz and Varsity Freshman Brooke Lockwood at the Judi Garmand Classic for the win against Baylor this morning! pic.twitter.com/0GGmejQqrR